Fall Into the Sky
by Crooked Waltz
Summary: Three years after her adventure with a group of American digidestined, Alexis follows her father to Japan, who has been transferred for business. "Fall Into the Sky" takes place during Digimon Adventure 02 and follows Alexis in her encounters with her fellow digidestined, new and old.
1. The Arrival

"Wow this seems more like a fancy hotel than an apartment."

"Sure, dad. You've outdone yourself once again."

It was late evening in Japan, and my father and I had just stepped into our brand new apartment located in the Odaiba district. I shuffled across our new living room, which was already decorated with brand new furniture, purchased with my father's raise. It was obvious the moving men had beat us here. I cringed slightly as I headed for my room, wondering how much rearranging I would have to do after school tomorrow.

As I entered my room, I was pleasantly surprised to see the majority of my furniture had been placed in tolerable areas. I noted that perhaps I would move my desk a bit farther away from the sliding glass door so when winter came I wouldn't freeze trying to do homework. I tossed my backpack onto my bed, causing the drawstring to come lose and spill all the contents onto the floor. A "tsk" escaped my lips as I knelt down to pick up everything: Three books, a notepad, iPod, Gameboy SP, and my digivice. Even after three, almost four, years I couldn't bring myself to go anywhere without it.

I heard my dad's footsteps as he joined me in my rom. "See, Lexi, I told you those moving men where good. They put everything exactly where we wanted it," he said, smiling. His eyes then shifted to the digivice in my hand. His smile dropped a bit and I could see him reliving my explanation of the digital world as I had held Tsukaimon in my small arms. It wasn't long after that Tsukaimon returned to the digital world, a place I haven't seen in three years. Sure, I helped those Japanese kids in the battle with Diaboromon, but I'd only seen a glimpse of my digital best friend through the screen at that point.

"You still have that old thing?" my dad chuckled as best he could. Eight months before my adventures in the digital world, my mother had passed away in a car accident. Even though time passed differently in the digital world, I had been with a group of other American digidestined, and our fight had probably saved the entire western hemisphere, that hadn't changed my father's fears. After that he'd kept me on lockdown in our house for half a year. Luckily, his nerves had eased these past years; it had to considering he was almost always away on business trips or staying late at the office.

I nodded, acknowledging his insult toward a device that was quite possibly my most precious possession. "Tsukaimon is my best friend, dad. Even if I haven't seen him in awhile,"

Despite his misgivings, my dad nodded and patted my shoulder. "I know, dear," he replied, offering a sincere smile. I hugged my dad, knowing his intentions were for the better. "Hey, why don't you go for a quick walk? Get your bearings for the area before tomorrow. I'll be doing boring grown-up things for the rest of the night anyway," he offered, knowing how much I enjoyed the fresh air.

"Sounds like a plan. I saw a soccer field and some tennis courts on the ride here. Maybe they have some volleyball nets hanging around too," I grinned, my hands already itching to play.

"Okay, just don't be back too late. You do have to go to school tomorrow," my dad replied, a fresh smile appearing on his face.

I groaned in reply before making my way towards the door.


	2. The Delightful Encounter

Once outside I was greeted by the crisp, late summer air. It wasn't exactly cold, but there was a slight chill to the breeze that whispered of the coming autumn. People strolled along around me, most likely heading home to spend time with their families and prepare for the next day. I took a right at the first stoplight I saw, trying to remember the address of the high school. I had looked it up a few weeks before we'd left, but my Japanese was extremely rusty which made it more difficult to recall.

Deciding it was best not to get lost in a district I barely new, I turned back the way I had come and began looking for the soccer field we'd passed on the way to the apartment. I backtracked along the street we had driven, which took me along the ocean for a few blocks. I took in the salty air, my hazel eyes studying the way the darkening sky was reflecting off the water. Odaiba was painted in a perfect dusk that seemed to hush the whole city. Even the traffic was quieted to a soft rumble.

I found the soccer field with more success and as I descended the steps I noticed a lone ball in the center of the field. I glanced around for the owner, but the field was completely empty. There didn't seem to be anyone in the nearby tennis courts either. With a shrug, I bounced down onto the field, throwing my lengthy honey-colored hair into a loose ponytail as I traveled across the manicured grass. I had never been very good at soccer, volleyball always being my sport of choice, but being cooped up in a plane and car for the past day and a half had made me antsy.

I kicked the ball around a bit, keeping it close to me; dribbling I think it was referred to. Or was that basketball? I then ran a few circles around the field, just to get my blood pumping. After a few minutes, I began to feel like I was getting the hang of moving the ball along with my feet as I traveled. I stopped in front of the nearest goal and pretended to taunt an imaginary goalie. I hopped up and down, tapping the bottoms of my sneakers on top of the ball repeatedly.

My hubris was my downfall.

During one of my taps, I put more weight on the ball than intended. The ball went forward, taking my right foot with it. With a yelp, I fell backwards, landing solidly on my back. I gasped as my breath was knocked out of my chest from the unexpected descent. I lay still, hoping no passerby had seen my less than graceful crash. Unfortunately for me, a laugh echoed from the other side of the field.

I could already feel the grimace on my face as a shadow fell across my vision. For a moment I thought a tree had moved to stand over me, but it was only a boy around my age. He was built like a typical teenage boy; a little gangly with a few lean muscles here and there. By the look of his legs he must have been a runner of some sort. His hair had been the main reason I had mistook him for a small tree. It was a spiky mess of brunette locks that looked as if it dared any brush to tame it.

"Looks like my ball go the best of you," he said, still trying to stifle the snickers that were escaping his lips.

I blushed furiously. Great, the first person I meet here in Odaiba gets to witness my clumsiness. "Actually, I had been thinking how comfortable this grass looked. Your ball here just helped me confirm how soft it really is," I replied, attempting to let my sarcasm cover my embarrassment.

Judging by his laugh, my act did not go over as planned. "Well glad it could be of service," and with that he extended a hand to help me up. I took it, grateful to end my time on the ground. "So are you from around here?" he asked, without any further hesitation.

I was a little taken aback by his sudden change in subject, but thankful for it all the same. "No, I just moved here, today actually," I responded, trying to brush off grass that could still be clinging to my back.

"From America?"

I blinked, again surprised by his spot on guesses. "Uh, yes. How…?" I began, but his easy laughter brought me to a halt. Perhaps it was the halo the setting sun was casting around his body, but I choked on my words thanks to his radiate smile.

"It's your accent," he supplied, knowing what my question would have been. "Sounds like it's been awhile since you spoke Japanese."

I blushed again, not realizing how rusty I really was. "You're right it has been…awhile," I struggled. Awhile was an understatement. My dad was full-blooded Japanese and my mom had been home grown American, but she had been the one more interested in the culture. Before she had passed away, we had spent every summer in Kyoto to 'immerse ourselves in your father's heritage.'

Apparently, this boy noticed my sudden change of emotion and had the grace to look apologetic. "Oh, but I've heard a lot worse," he tried, making grasps at earnestness. My brow furrowed as my mouth creased into a frown and now it was his turn to blush. "Er, what I mean is…My name is Tai!" He extended a hand towards me, which I let hover for a few moments to make him sweat.

"Alexis," I returned, offering him a friendly smile while I shook his hand. "Thanks for being a witness to my A+ soccer skills, Tai."

A smile broke back across his face, dazzling me into dumbness again. "Well, I've got you to thank for finding my lucky ball," Tai said, relief filling his voice. "And if you ever want to improve your already perfect soccer skills, I'd be more than happy to help you."

The transition between his sarcasm and sincerity had been so smooth I'd almost missed it. I snorted, trying to play it cool. "Volleyball is more of my game. I just needed to burn of some energy before trying to sleep tonight," as I said the word tonight, I glanced up towards the sky to see it had darkened considerably. "Uh, you wouldn't happen to know what time is it, would you Tai?" I asked, already worried about the answer.

His brown eyes flicked down to his watch and I saw panic spread across his face. Apparently I wasn't the only one with a curfew. "It's 10:05 p.m., which means I'm dead meat," Tai groaned in despair.

I couldn't help it, but I burst out laughing at the defeat in his face. And I continued to laugh as his defeat changed to confusion when he looked at me. "Well you know what they say, misery loves company," I giggled.

Understanding I was in an equal amount of trouble, Tai joined me in laughing. When it started to die, we both looked across the distance between us; staring into each other's eyes for what felt like longer than necessary. A butterfly leapt threw my stomach, bringing me back to reality. I cleared my throat, breaking the silence that had fallen between us.

"Well, I really should go before the Godzilla that is my father starts rampaging through the city in search of my body," I said as I began to back away.

My movement seemed to break Tai out of his trance and he laughed in response. "It was nice to meet you, Alexis," he added, picking up his ball as he began to leave as well.

"Likewise," I replied with a gentle smile. With that, I turned and began to jog back to my apartment. A knot twisted in my stomach as I ran, a silent complaint for having to leave such a delightful encounter.


	3. A Stumbling Glance

As morning broke in Odaiba, the sound of a cruise liner ship came crashing through my room. Over the sound of the blaring fog horn that was my alarm clock, I moaned in protest at the oncoming day. Tumbling out of bed, I made my way across my room to where I had placed the clock next to my door. There would have been no hope of me leaving my bed if my alarm had been near the cozy heap of pillows and blankets.

Without wasting any more time, I jumped into the shower and began preparing for my day. I dressed in the green and white school uniform of the high school, throwing on white knee high socks to complete the school girl look. I toppled my damp hair into a low, messy side bun, lacking the energy to put any effort forth in actually styling it. Mom had always said I had such an elegantly long neck anyway, so I should flaunt it. My bangs were of no consequence so I just flipped my head once, hoping they would find a happy place on my forehead and stay there.

Smelling fresh and clean, I headed out to the kitchen to greet my dad, only to find a note left in his place.

_Lexi,_

_Sorry I had to run off this morning without saying goodbye. You know me; I like to arrive at the office early so I'm ready for the day. I left you some good ol' Poptarts beside the toaster. Treasure them because I don't think they sell them here._

_I can't wait to hear all about your first day when I get home!_

_Love,_

_Dad_

I sighed, trying to push back the sadness that was creeping up my throat. I knew my dad, which means I should have known he would leave early this morning. He hadn't been too angry when I arrived home late last night. He just gave me that 'I told you to be home sooner' look, then headed off to bed. Maybe a part of me missed the old days when he had always been there to drop me off at school and pick me up at the end of the day. I shook my head, shoving those thoughts away and trying to focus on the danger ahead: My first day at a new school.

A glance at the clock told me I had a good half hour before school actually started. However, I wanted to head out early just in case I took a wrong turn on the way, my sense of direction never being the greatest. I returned to my room to grab the backpack I had packed last night in order to calm my nerves. I checked the side pocket, opening it to see my digivice still safely in place. I wasn't concerned about anyone finding it, let alone knowing what it was. I was more focused on Tsukaimon trying to contact me about some emergency, even though I hadn't heard from him in three years. I carried the device more for my own comfort than anything else, feeling like a piece of my best friend was always there for the mundane adventures of everyday life.

Before leaving the apartment, I grabbed a slip of paper with the correct address of the high school and the silvery pouch of Poptarts. Once the door was securely locked behind me, I made for the steps that led to the bustling streets of Japan.

I walked along the sidewalk, avoiding people who seemed to be in more of a hurry than I was. As I walked, I opened my bag of artificial pastries and helped myself to the one that looked like it had more frosting. Several cars passed me on my routine, but one in particular caught my eye, mostly because the brown haired kid in the passenger seat stared me down until the vehicle was out of sight. Despite myself, I felt my cheeks redden even though there was no reason to feel embarrassed.

On my journey to the school, I came across a corner convenience store. I was debating about going in and buying a bottle of flavored water when the automatic doors slid open to reveal a spectacled face plowing towards me. My brain didn't register what was going on until it was too late.

"Bye, Mom, bye, Dad! See you after compu—" whatever the girl had been saying was cut off by her collision into me.

I fell backwards, taking her charge in full force. Apparently it was a requirement for me to fall down at least once a day here in Japan. A wave of purple hair assaulted my face as the girl landed on top of me. "Oh no, I've done it again!" The girl whined as I felt her weight lift off me. "I am so sorry, are you alright?"

I blinked a few times, clearing my vision. I looked up to see a hand extended towards me to help me up. The girl before me looked like a middle schooler, based on her clothes and facial features. A deeper part of my brain registered that students in Japan usually didn't have to wear uniforms until high school. With a kind smile I took her hand, "It's okay, I'm fine. I should actually thank you for waking me up."

The girl let out a burst of laughter, obviously relieved to have not done me any bodily harm. She looked about to say something when a middle aged man joined us at the entrance of the store. "Bulldozing through our customer's again, Yolei?" he asked, his voice ringing with misery at the amount of times this seemed to happen.

The girl, known as Yolei, began to stammer, trying to come up with some logical excuse. I heard her mumble 'dad,' which led me to assume this was her family's store. "No, no, sir it was more my fault than Yolei's," I explained. Yolei's sputtering came to an abrupt halt as she stared at me. I offered her a wink before continuing, "You see, I'm extremely clumsy and I tripped while I was making my way into the store. Yolei was there just in time to catch me, even though she fell in the process."

Yolei's father gazed at me for a long time before finally sighing. "As long as you're both alright," he grumbled as he crossed his arms. "Now you should both get going before you're late for school," and he turned around to return to the store.

"You really saved my butt!" Yolei exclaimed as she took my hand in a gesture of gratefulness.

I laughed lightly, shaking my head. "I really am clumsy, so it wasn't too hard to come up with a cover story."

Yolei joined me in my laughter, clearly thankful her victim was a good sport. "I really need to get going, but don't think I'll forget about this," she said, her tone suddenly serious. "Stop by the store sometime and I'll repay you!" And with that, she was off; sprinting down the sidewalk to what I could only assume was the direction of the school.

I followed Yolei's path and came to a T formation in the road. A sign in the center of the sidewalk point left for Odaiba Middle School and right for Odaiba High School. I turned right and made for the main office to complete my registration.

Once all the paperwork was finished, I received my class schedule, locker number and combination. I still had about ten minutes before the regular students would arrive, even with my demolition derby with Yolei. I took this time to familiarize myself with the school grounds. It was considerably smaller than I expected, but that was probably for the best considering my luck so far. After a brief self tour, I went about finding my locker.

I was lucky enough that my locker was fairly close to where my tour had ended. I shuffled through the papers they had given me until I found the tiny slip with my locker combination. The first time I entered the combination, nothing happened. The second time, nothing, and same the third and fourth. The fifth time I was able to get the lever up, but the door wouldn't budge. I could hear students beginning to fill the halls around me but I was too concerned with this stubborn locker to care. I braced my foot against the base, where the wall met the floor and entered the combination one more time. I lifted the lever, and then tugged with all my might.

With a rusty objection, the locker finally swung open. Unfortunately, I wasn't ready for such a victory. The sudden swing of the opening locker sent me stumbling back along the hall. I winced, bracing myself for the pain of the fall, only it never came.

I heard a "Whoa!" and then my plunge was cushioned by a well placed pair of arms. I looked up to thank my savior only to be dazzled by a pair of sapphire eyes and shiny blond hair. I gapped, feeling my mouth open and close like that of a fish, not struggling for air, but words.

A smirk spread across the boy's face, not helping my scrambled mind. He winked at me before chuckling "You must be Alexis."


	4. The Perfect Quartet

My brain fizzled out completely when he said my name. How did he know who I was? I'd only been in the school for a half hour at most. I could feel my eyes bulging out of my head, trying to take in every aspect of his features: those eyes, the perfectly disheveled hair, and the way his mouth quirked into a smirk. My studies were brought to a close when my blond knight helped me back to my feet. I cleared my throat, trying to prepare a somewhat human response, but he beat me to it.

"You should be more careful, ya know," he said, laughter still evident in his voice. "Those lockers can be the worst bullies."

I laughed at his joke, hoping I didn't sound like a deranged lunatic. Whatever aura this guy was emitting was jamming what little level-headedness I had. "Well the new kid is always the first target for bullies, right?" I responded with a nervous smile. He seemed thoroughly amused by my retort, so I continued. "Um, how did you know my name?"

My savior was about to answer when a lanky arm appeared over his shoulders. "I see you've saved the damsel in distress, Matt. And it's barely even 8 a.m." a familiar voice teased.

My eyes swiveled to see the face of the brunette boy I had met last night. "I see my grace precedes me," I grumbled, feeling my face turn hot. Tai must have told this Matt about our meeting and my fabulous soccer skills.

Matt seemed to notice my distress and shrugged off Tai's arm so he could extend a hand toward me. "It's great to meet you all the same, Alexis. My name is Matt Ishida," he greeted with another astounding smile. My brain, stumbling into autopilot, made my hand reach forward to shake his. Half of me prayed Matt was in one of my classes so I could stare at him. The other half hoped he wasn't because then there would be no hope for my education.

"Enough with the introductions, let's get going. The first bell will ring any minute," Tai insisted, already starting to turn in the opposite direction. I took that as my cue to fumble through my papers to find my room assignment. However, as I was searching, Tai's voice broke through my thoughts. "Alexis? Why don't you join us for lunch?"

My head snapped up in surprise. I could feel that my eyes were the size of sauce pans. "Me?" I asked, already feeling stupid as it escaped my lips.

Tai laughed lightly. "Of course, you. Do you see any other people named Alexis around us?" he asked as he quirked his head to the side. I noticed how perfectly his smile fit across his sun tanned face. I was a goner if all the boys at Odaiba looked like this.

Before I could reply, Matt shoved Tai down the other direction of the hall. He rolled his eyes before turning to me, "Take some time to think about it. The first day is always the most stressful," he said, understanding layering his voice. "If you want to eat with us, we'll be in the central courtyard." And with that, the blond and brunette boys began disappearing down the hall. I could hear then grumbling words at each other but they both waved at me one last time before disappearing behind the corner.

I ran my free hand down my face, trying to reorganize the mess that was my thoughts. School hadn't even started and I'd already experienced enough embarrassment to last me the week. But at least my clumsiness hadn't made me the target of ridicule…yet.

…

Finding my classroom wasn't as hard as I had thought. By some luck, my American schooling had put me ahead of the average curve here in Japan. This meant I was placed in the class with the higher level students. I shuddered, thinking of all the critical thinkers that were probably miles ahead of me. I was book smart, but I always felt like I fell short when I was supposed to apply my knowledge out in the real world.

As I reached the room, I balked right outside the door, suddenly frightened of all the eyes that awaited me inside. It would be clear I was an outsider, my facial features made sure of that. I wasn't usually scared of social situations because my passive demeanor and dry humor usually didn't draw a lot of attention. But, being at a brand new school was enough to worry even the most social butterfly.

To steel myself, I took a deep breath and reached for the handle of the sliding door.

…

As the bell rang for lunch, I felt my muscles release from their tense hold. In Japan, students didn't move from classroom to classroom like they did in America. Rather, the students stayed in their seats while the teachers moved from class to class. Not moving for almost four hours was causing my muscles to scream with boredom.

I stretched, hearing my limbs pop as I slid out of my desk. When I turned around to exit the room, I noticed a red haired boy staring at me from across the way. I ignored him, figuring he was just labeling me as the new girl. I went to the tiny cubbies in the back of the classroom to grab the lunch I had packed for myself. When I made to leave, I heard a voice call out my name. "You're Alexis right?"

I turned to see the red haired boy now heading my way. I nodded, not sure why this guy would want to talk to me. Being new, the majority of my fellow students had been polite but made no effort to reach out to me. Was he some kind of bully that wanted my lunch? "Can I help you?" I asked, being friendly despite whatever he might need from me.

A small smile appeared on his face, easing my ridiculous nerves. "I'm Izzy Koushiro. I just wanted to say I really appreciated your response to Orson's essay. Not to mention you breezed through today's math problems. I'm thoroughly impressed," he recited, sounding like he had run this conversation over in his head before coming up to me.

I was stunned for a moment. I didn't think he was making some jab at my education, he was being too sincere. "Um, thanks. I'm Alexis Tamora," I responded, not quite sure what else to say.

Izzy continued, seemingly approving of my lack luster response. "I was wondering if you would like to join me for lunch?" he asked, seemingly missing the awkwardness I was feeling. "The other two I eat with are always lacking in intellectual conversation."

Other two? Something told me I knew exactly who he was talking about. I hadn't given Tai and Matt a direct answer, but if my assumption was correct, I wouldn't have to. "That sounds like a wonderful idea," I nodded with a pure smile. Izzy mirrored my happy facial expression and began to lead me right where I expected he would; the central courtyard.

When we stepped outside, I let the warm autumn air breathe through my body. It was nice to be outside after being cooped up the whole morning. My eyes swept the courtyard, watching students bustle about, buying and trading lunches with each other. A lone tree stood in the center of the yard and under that tree, I could see two figures. As Izzy and I got closer, I knew exactly who they were; one with crazy brunette locks that defied gravity and the other with blond strands that shimmered in the high noon light.

The two noticed us and waved animatedly, apparently extra excited that I was accompanying Izzy. I greeted Tai and Matt by formally bowing to the two of them. "Oh come on, Alexis, there's no need to be so formal," Tai mumbled as he motioned for me to take a seat at the base of the tree. I accepted his invitation and placed myself between Tai and Matt.

"Regardless, you should respect her manners, Tai," Matt scolded, throwing a mild punch, past me, and landing on Tai's shoulder. When the hit connected, Tai snorted into the can he had been drinking.

I threw up my hands, trying to block any spray that could possibly come my way. "Geez, say it don't spray it," I teased, knowing his choking wasn't exactly his fault.

A sigh escaped Izzy's lips as he settled down across from me. "Do you see what I deal with on a daily basis?" he moaned, looking between Tai and Matt like they were his children.

"I'm assuming you're never bored," I guessed as I popped the Tupperware lid off my lunch.

Tai, finally calming his coughing fit, turned his gaze towards me. "So, how did you meet the brains of our trio?" he asked, nodding toward Izzy as he stuffed a serving of rice in his mouth.

I grimaced at his animalistic way of eating. To counter, I grabbed a napkin from my bag and plastered it over his whole face. I heard chuckles escape from Matt and Izzy as I did so. "We're in the same class," I explained, laughing as Tai shot me a look as he took the napkin off his face.

"In the same class as Izzy, huh?" Matt inquired. "That's pretty impressive considering Izzy's high academic record." I looked at him, nodding dumbly because my mouth couldn't form words when he spoke to me.

The rest of our lunch period consisted of me getting to know these three boys. They were all unbelievably friendly, which made them easy to talk to. They seemed to have known each other for three, almost four years now. When they mentioned how they'd gone to summer camp together four years ago, my brain registered that that was when I had been transported to the digital world. I pushed the thought away, but I could tell Matt had noticed my lapse in attention.

As lunch began to draw to a close, I started to feel myself becoming attached to these boys. They had all been very nice to me, despite my clumsiness and oddball thoughts. They laughed at my dry jokes, played along with my sarcasm, and enjoyed hearing my opinions. Even though it was still only my first day, I felt like I had found a place to actually fit in here.

The warning bell sounded through the courtyard, signaling that students had five minutes to gather their things and return to class. The four of us collected our lunch garbage and threw it into a nearby trash can. We walked back through the school together until Izzy and I separated from Tai and Matt to head to our different classroom. Once back in the room, Izzy ended our conversation, saying we could continue it again after class. I smiled, acknowledging that I couldn't wait then I made for the cubbies to put my container away.

When I opened up my backpack, I felt my small vibration singing through the cloth. My heart dropped. Nothing else I owned vibrated like that.

I glanced around the room to make sure nobody was paying close attention to me, then I opened the side pocket to my backpack. My digivice was lit up, shining brightly like a flare in a pitch black cave. I fumbled with my belongings, my hands shaking with excitement and horror. When I turned the digivice screen to face me, it took all my willpower not to sprint out of the classroom.

_**Alexis?! Alexis, please come quick! This bastard has been chasing me for so long, I can't run much longer. Hurry!**_


	5. A Frightful Reunion

I felt my stomach drop as I read the message over and over again. I thought I had lost all contact with the digital world, how was this possible? I had been quietly begging to hear from Tsukaimon for the longest time, but not like this.

"Class, please take your seats," the teacher's voice droned behind me. As I turned around I noticed he was just referring to me; everyone else had already taken their seats. I saw Izzy's eyes on me, his face a mask of confusion. I sped to my seat, keeping my head down and my backpack at my side.

The teacher began his lecture and I grabbed my notebook, but not to take notes for class. From my brief tour of the school, I had noted a few computer labs around campus. I transported my mental map onto the paper so I could find the best route to the computer labs. I was too worried about Tsukaimon to waste time running home to use my own laptop so I formulated a plan to use a school computer to try and get into the digital world. Unfortunately, it was an incredible long shot. I could barely remember how I had gotten transported to the digital world the first time I ended up there.

The rest of the day slid by like a slip-and-slide covered in fast dry glue. I chewed through two pen caps and I'm pretty sure the whole school was shaking thanks to my antsy legs. When the teacher finally dismissed us for the day, I was the first one out the door.

"Alexis?!" I heard a voice shout behind me. It sounded like Izzy, but I just didn't have the time or mental capacity to talk. I would apologize to him tomorrow. As I rounded the first corner, I glanced back just in time to see Tai and Matt join Izzy in staring after me, their faces full of bewilderment. I must have looked crazy.

I shook my head, trying to tell myself I wasn't going to lose the first friends I made because of this stunt. I'd make up some excuse; a family emergency or something. With my regret settling, I set to finding the nearest computer lab.

…

Despite there being five different computer labs in the whole school, not one was unoccupied. Apparently tech clubs were a popular after school activities in Odaiba. I'd even glimpsed Izzy in one, but I think I'd swept out fast enough for him not to notice me. Now I found myself running across the concrete courtyard that separated the high school from the middle school. I prayed at least one lab would be empty in the middle school.

I followed various signs throughout the school, trying to find at least one lab. As I rounded a corner, I heard voices coming from the nearest door, which was supposed to be a computer lab. My heart sank until I heard what the voices were saying.

"Geez, Cody you're always late. The Digimon Emperor has probably put up at least ten towers by now!"

"Don't tease him, Davis. At least he has responsibilities, unlike you."

"Let's not waste anymore time. Digi-Port open!"

Digimon Emperor? Digi-Port? I couldn't have been imaging those words, could I? I poked my head into the lab only to see it completely empty. I'd been so sure the voices had been coming from here. Maybe I was going crazy with all my worrying.

The sound of a beeping computer brought me out of my denial. I moved farther into the lab until I came across the only computer on in the room. An odd looking window was displayed on screen and an electronic beeping sang in rhythm with a small flashing light in the corner of the monitor. A shiver ran through my backpack, followed by another beeping sound, perfectly in sync with the computer.

My digivice.

I dug into my bag and removed my digivice only to see the screen flashing in time with the light on the computer. I wasn't sure what to do from here, but I was will to try anything. I tried typing a few things onto the keyboard, but nothing registered or appeared the display. I then tried pushing some buttons on my digivice, but the screen just continued to flash.

I blinked quickly, trying to push back the tears of frustration that were beginning to form. I couldn't let anything happen to Tsukaimon, but how could I help him from here? In desperation, I threw out my arm, pointing my digivice directly at the computer screen. "Digi-Port open," my voice cracked.

And then I fell.

The computer lab melted around me as a familiar weightlessness flowed through my limbs. Before I knew it, I had landed on the grassy ground of a lush forest. I was in the Digital World! A burst of thankful laughter left my lungs as I quickly popped up onto my feet. Behind me I noticed a small, old fashioned television nestled in the grass. On the screen I could see the computer lab I had just been standing in. Was this how the Digital World worked now?

I shook my head, trying to focus. I could fret about how to get back to the real world later. Right now, Tsukaimon needed my help. I began to trudge my way through the vast forest, struggling to avoid all the exotic plants that grew close around me. Just as I spread open some bushes to climb through, something soft and purple crashed into my face.

"Alexis! It's about time you got here! What took you so long? You have no idea how tired I am. I haven't run like this since we were being chased by Kuwagamon. Hey, why are you just sitting on the ground? Are you crying?"

I laughed as Tsukaimon rambled on. I could feel the tears brimming at the corners of my eyes. I reached up and grabbed the talkative little Digimon from where he'd been hovering in the air. "Tsukaimon, you scared me half to death with your message," I breathed as I hugged him tight against my chest. I could feel his heart fluttering against me and I knew he could feel mine beating just as fast. Tsukaimon wasn't usually one for cuddling, but I felt his tiny black paws grip my shirt, a small gesture that spoke volumes to me.

"I'm happy to see you, Alexis, but we can't stay here long. I'm still being chased," Tsukaimon frowned, looking up at me with his bright, yellow eyes.

"Chased by who?" Just as I finished my sentence, a Tyranomon crashed through the trees behind me. His roar shook the entire forest floor, giving me and Tsukaimon more than enough motivation to start running. As we ran, I glanced back, noticing how the Tyranomon's eyes glowed red and there was a dark metal band strapped around his neck. "Tsukaimon, you need to digivolve!" I cried as I sprinted through the trees.

"Right!" My partner responded, as he used his wing-like ears to fly out of my arms. I smiled, excited to see my best friend digivolve…but nothing happened. The purple like that usually surrounded Tsukaimon when he digivolved never appeared. "It's not working!" Tsukaimon howled in despair.

Couldn't digivolve? But how was that possible? Unfortunately, I didn't have time to think about it; my clumsiness thought that now was a good time to kick in. A tree root I failed to notice caught my foot, sending me sprawling face first across the forest floor.

"Not again, Alexis," I heard Tsukaimon grumble as he quickly changed his flight path. "Friendly Fire!" I didn't see Tsukaimon's attack hit the Tyranomon, but I could tell from the continued stomping behind me that it hadn't slowed him. What was I going to do? If Tsukaimon couldn't digivolve we were done for.

I rolled onto my back, seeing how close the Tyranomon actually was to us. He towered above me and my partner, sending shivers of fear through my body. This wasn't like last time, when William and the others had always been there to help me. Tsukaimon's small body appeared in front of me, always trying to protect me from danger. I saw the flames beginning to curl out of Tyranomon's mouth, as he prepared to shoot his Fire Breath attack. Was this it? Was I going to watch Tsukaimon be devoured by flames then become engulfed myself?

The ball of fire left the dinosaur Digimon's muzzle and spiraled toward us. I grabbed Tsukaimon and turned my back to the flames, hoping my body would shield my best friend from the attack so he could get away. I closed my eyes, as if not seeing the attack could make it hurt less. I felt the hot air of the blast against my back when a voice sang out above me.

"SHOOTING STAR!"


End file.
